lines, without fighting. In the morning of the 2d, it was moved to the
right wing, where there was a little musketry in the afternoon. At 6
P. M., it reinforced the left wing, which, by a furious assault, had
been forced back. There being danger on the right wing, the regiment was
again moved to its support, at 1 A. M. of the 3d. Musketry was kept up
during the whole day. At 6 A. M., the Seventh took the rifle pits. The
severest portion of the battle occurred in the afternoon of the 3d. The
enemy threw his whole force against the center and was thoroughly
punished. The cannonading was terrific, perhaps equal to any of the
whole war. The slight loss in the Seventh was due to their
fortifications. In Co. C, the wounded were Henry Fairchild, John Burns,
John Finneran and Joseph McCurren; the latter, mortally.
Once more were the faces of the two grand armies turned towards
Richmond. The battles of Geary's brigade in the northern portion of the
Confederacy were ended. Its journey before meeting the enemy again, face
to face, in deadly conflict, was long enough to reach around a
small-sized world. The windings and turnings of it are almost
untraceable. In this short sketch, there is only space to mark out the
route without giving the multitude of interesting particulars connected
with it.
The brigade passed through Smoketown, Fairplay, (there forming line of
battle,) Sharpsburg, Harper's Ferry, proceeded up the Loudon Valley to
Ashby's Gap, marched through Manassas Gap, Rectorsville, Markham, White
Plains, Thoroughfare Gap, Greenwich, Manassas, Catlett Station, and,
crossing the Rappahannock below Culpepper, it encamped on the banks of
the Rapidan, in view of the enemy, on the opposite side.
But not long were they to tarry there. The four Ohio regiments were soon
sent to New York, as was supposed, to enforce the draft. Moving by rail
to Alexandria, and, after being paid for two months, taking the ocean
steamer, Baltic, they reached New York Harbor about the middle of
August, and encamped on Governor's Island, at the southern extremity of
the city.
The draft having passed among the lower classes without a pat-riot, they
again weighed anchor on the same steamer, about the 1st of September,
and, by the same route, reached their former camp on the Rapidan, very
near the middle of the month.
Hooker's Corps was immediately ordered to Tennessee. This corps
consisted of the 11th and 12th consolidated, and was numbered the 20th.
Its route was through Washington, Baltimore, Columbus, Indianapolis,
Louisville, Nashville, to Wauhatchie Valley.
[Sidenote: Battle of Lookout Mountain.]
Co. C was left at Wartrace, Tenn., to scout for annoying rebel cavalry.
It proved an excellent hunting ground, but a poor one for finding. The
four Ohio regiments that had so long shared each other's fortunes, were
sent to Bridgeport, Alabama. Early in November, they joined the army of
Gen. Grant, to assist in the capture of the strong hold upon Lookout
Mountain. The sides of the peak are very steep and full of gorges. The
order was given Nov. 24, 1863, to ascend its rocky sides. It seemed
impossible. But those veterans did not hesitate to make the necessary
effort. Gen. Hooker sent troops to entertain the enemy in front, while
others passed up the north and east sides, to capture his camp.
The Seventh was not brought under fire until it arrived at the front of
the mountain, and even then, nature turned in to be its ally. The guns
of the enemy could not be depressed sufficiently to do much harm, and
their greatest efficiency was secured by shooting off the tops of the
trees to fall upon the heads of the men. Moving farther on, they were
exposed to a severe musketry fire. Here M. C. Stone was severely wounded
and taken from the field. A heavy fog soon ended the firing. Night came
on, and the fog disappeared. The full moon gave to the Seventh, while
doing picket duty, a scene that was truly grand. The summit of the
mountain is 2700 feet above the river. The regiment was up two thirds
this distance. The camps of both armies were visible, and an enrapturing
view for many miles around could be taken. The eclipse of the moon,
almost total, seemed to indicate the displeasure of the Almighty at such
scenes as the evening shades had just closed in upon.
[Sidenote: Mission Ridge and Ringgold.]
At early dawn the enemy nowhere appeared, and the Stars and Stripes were
planted proudly upon the highest pinnacle. The Union Army pursued down
the mountain, across the plain of Chattanooga, and up the sides of
Mission Ridge, to meet only a slight resistance. The enemy fled, hotly
pursued through the day, which was crowned with the capture of 2000
prisoners. The troops were never more jubilant. Cheers and songs echoed
from hill to hill. Onward, still onward, was the pursuit, until November
27, when the enemy strongly posted himself on Taylor's Ridge, just
beyond Ringgold, to prevent the Union forces from passing through
Thompson's Gap. Geary's brigade was ordered to storm the heights. It
formed in two columns on the rail road one half a mile north of the Gap.
The Seventh occupied the right of the rear column. Steadily up they
went. The advance halted at the steep declivity to return the enemy's
fire. The rear column passed over it, and entered a gorge that was
directly in front. The unshrinking Creighton shouted, "Boys, we are
ordered to take that hill. I want to see you walk right up it." And up
they went in the face of a merciless fire in front, on right, and left.
Soon Lieut. Col. Crane fell, a sacrifice on the altar, and in less than
an hour, Col. Creighton followed him to the spirit world. Only one
commissioned officer of the Seventh was left uninjured. There was
nothing for the small remnant to do, but to fall back to the foot of the
hill. It was a sad affair for the regiment. Its glory seemed to have
departed. Of the twenty men in Co. C, who entered the action, six were
killed and eight, wounded. The killed were Lieut. I. C. Jones, J. L.
Fish, C. E. Wall, D. P. Wood, C. F. King, and Thomas Sweet. The wounded
were John Gardner, (mortally,) J. W. Raymond, H. D. Claghorn, John
Phillips, J. Cleverton, Wm. H. Pelton, W. O. Barns, and M. H. Sheldon.
The army remained at Ringgold until December 1. It then fell back twenty
miles to go into winter quarters, at Chattanooga.
Immediately after the battle at Ringgold, Orderly Andrews took command
of Co. C, and held it until its final discharge at Cleveland.
Efforts were made at this camp to induce the men to re-enlist. A fine
speech of Gen. Geary's was insufficient to cause the boys to forget
their abuse and hard usage, which had so prejudiced their minds that
they could not see it to be their duty to do further service. Besides,
the General had not, by any means, made himself their favorite; and
therefore, his protestations that, "to lose the Seventh would be to lose
the seventh star of the Pleiades," and that "they were dear to him as
the apple of his eye," only served to disgust them.
[Sidenote: Bridgeport.]
On the 4th of January, 1864, his brigade was sent to Bridgeport to spend
the rest of the winter.
It took the steamer Chickamauga, April 12, and sailed 110 miles down the
Tennessee, to a point fifteen miles beyond Huntsville, having two or
three skirmishes on the way, and capturing a few prisoners. After three
days it returned to its camp.
Another effort was made by Gen. Slocum and all the Corps authorities, to
persuade the men to enter the veteran service; but they said, "We know
the promises of men in authority, and how much care is exercised for the
comfort of those under them. We love the society of our friends at home
as well as the multitudes of young men who have never spent a day in the
service. We will take our turn with them." These thoughts biased the men
so that, again, they could not feel it their duty to re-enlist, and
when the glad hour of their release came, they returned to their homes
with clear consciences.
[Sidenote: Rocky-Faced Ridge and Resaca.]
The proper time for their discharge drew near, and the men claimed their
right to the promise made them in Camp Dennison, but that promise was
utterly disregarded by the government. When Gen. Sherman was ready to
enter upon the Atlanta Campaign, the Seventh was ordered to join his
forces. Leaving Bridgeport on the 3d of May, it passed by Lookout
Mountain, around seven miles to the right of Ringgold, over Taylor's
Ridge at Gordon Springs, and came up to Rocky-Faced Ridge on the 8th of
May, 1864. A line of battle was immediately formed by Hooker's Corps, to
drive the enemy from the Ridge. Geary's brigade moved up. When it had
nearly reached the summit, the General halted the Seventh and detailed
it for his body guard, in consideration of its hard service and severe
losses. The rest of the force skirmished from 3 P. M. until night,
losing 200 men in killed and wounded.
The enemy retreated, and next made a stand at Resaca, Ga., May 14. The
Seventh was posted in the rear of the center of the grand line of
battle. The next day it was moved with its division to the left wing, in
time to save the 4th A. C., which was not able to stand. In the
afternoon the Union troops advanced in a dozen lines of battle. In the
heat of action, as the front line gave way, it fell back to the rear.
The Seventh was thus brought in front at 5 P. M., but neither side
thought it best to advance across the open field that lay between the
two hostile forces. Thus night ended the engagement, without loss to the
Seventh.
[Sidenote: Battle of Dallas.]
The enemy withdrew in the night, and was pursued ten days, to New Hope
Church, in the vicinity of Dallas, Ga.
The battle opened in front of Hooker's Corps, May 25.
The Seventh was put forward to skirmish. In the latter part of the day
it was relieved and set at building breastworks. After sunset, the
brigade was ordered to "fix bayonets and give the enemy the cold steel."
Both Hooker and Geary urged the men forward, on the ground that the
enemy had no ammunition. While Gen. Geary was making this pretext, the
rebels demonstrated the truth of it by sending a shell among the men,
and another under the General's horse. The former burst in the crowded
ranks, killing two, and wounding twelve men. The General vanished, and
no more was seen of him during the night.
The men did not hesitate from fear, but several good reasons were the
cause of the hesitation. Their time had expired. They had already done
more than their share of charging. They would have been cut to pieces by
the rear regiments, and if they had failed, they would have received no
more thanks than they did at Ringgold.
During eight days of the battle, the Seventh fought behind breastworks,
and learned the worth of protection.
[Sidenote: Final Discharge.]
The 11th of June was the glad day of their relief, to turn their faces
towards those homes which had occupied so much of their thoughts for
more than three years. Co. C was marched out into a little grove which
was to witness the sad parting of the veterans from those whose term of
service had not yet expired. Many tears were shed, as they shook each
other's hands, one party turning to battle, then imminent, the other, to
hasten to the embrace of friends.
The former portion of the company was transferred to Co. B of the 5th O.
V. I., and had the honor of sharing in General Sherman's brilliant
campaign of successes, through Georgia and South Carolina. They were
discharged, June 20, 1865, after having the satisfaction of seeing the
war ended.
The veterans of the company proceeded by rail to Nashville, thence by
steamer down the Cumberland, up the Ohio to Cincinnati, and arrived at
Cleveland, June 26, 1864.
The journey homeward was prosperous with one sad exception. Before the
company left Georgia, Sergeant O. C. Trembley had written to his mother
that she need have no fears for him--his fighting was through, and he
would soon be home. He was one of the most joyous at the prospect before
him of soon being with his friends. Faithfully and well had he served
in every battle of the regiment but one, and had, fortunately, never
been wounded. When the steamer was forty miles below Cincinnati, going
to the rear of the boat on the lower deck, he slipped into the river and
was drowned. His body was found on the third day by a fisherman; was
brought to Cleveland by his friend Hiram Parsons; and, by eight of
Company C, was thence escorted to his home in North Fairfield, Ohio.
There is not space to describe the splendid ovation, given to the
Seventh, with the Fifth Ohio, by the citizens of Cincinnati; and the
members are ashamed to have mention made of the meager reception at
Cleveland, on the Fourth of July.
The following are the names of the little band that returned to be
mustered out of the service, July 6, 1864: M. M. Andrews, J. F. Harmon,
S. M. Cole, J. E. Avery, N. L. Badger, J. M. Burns, H. B. Fry, A. M.
Halbert, E. T. Hayes, I. A. Noble, H. Parsons, Thos. Spriggs, T. J.
Wallace, D. A. Ward, Oliver Wise, and Wm. Woodmansee.
THE RECORD.
GILES WALDO SHURTLEFF,
A member of the Oberlin Theological Seminary, and Tutor in Oberlin
College; commanded the Company, as Captain, until the battle of Cross
Lanes, August 26, 1861, when he was captured and taken to Richmond, as
prisoner of war; spent eleven months and twenty-two days in Southern
prisons, at Richmond, Salisbury, and Charleston; paroled August 18,
1862, and exchanged September 30, 1862; by order of General Burnside, at
Pleasant Valley, Va., Oct, 11, 1862, detached as Assistant Inspector
General of the 9th Army Corps, on the Staff of General Wilcox. While in
this service, he was engaged in the severe battle at Fredericksburg,
December 13, 1862; resigned, and was discharged from the military
service, March 18, 1863.
He was commissioned as Lieut. Colonel of the 5th U. S. C. T., July 29,
1864, which regiment he commanded most of the remainder of his service.
With them he was engaged in the series of battles from June 15 to June
19, before Petersburg; in the battle at the blowing up of the mines,
July 30, 1864; in the trenches under fire, daily, before Petersburg from
June 15 to August 10, 1864, and in the charge upon New Market, Va.,
Sept. 29, 1864, for gallantry in which battle he was promoted to
Colonel. In this severe engagement, he lost nearly one half his men.
He also took part in Gen. Butler's attempt to capture Ft. Fisher, at
Wilmington, N. C., his regiment being the only colored troops that
landed; wounded in the hand and through the thigh in the battle of New
Market. Nominated by the Secretary of War as Brevet Brigadier General,
and confirmed by the Senate, March 15, 1865; resigned on the ground that
the war had closed, and honorably discharged, June 25, 1865; married,
and now doing duty as Adjunct Professor of the Greek and Latin languages
in Oberlin College.
JUDSON N. CROSS,
A Freshman in Oberlin College; commissioned as First Lieutenant of
Company C, April 29, 1861; wounded severely by gun shot in left arm, and
taken prisoner of war in the battle of Cross Lanes; rescued by the army
of Gen. Rosecrans in the battle of Carnifex Ferry, Sept. 11, 1861, when
he was removed to Cincinnati for recovery. He was promoted to Captain of
Co. K, 7th O. V. I., Nov. 25, 1861, and was detailed as recruiting
officer in Ohio, until Feb. 9, 1863, when he resigned, and was honorably
discharged at Dumfries, Va. June 13, 1863, he was appointed 1st
Lieutenant in the 5th Invalid Corps, and was promoted to Captain,
October 28, 1863. In this service he was stationed at Cleveland;
afterwards at St. Louis, Mo.; thence, went to Indianapolis, Ind.
In December, 1863, he was placed in command of the Post at Madison,
Ind., remaining until April, 1864, when he was made Acting Assistant
Adjutant General of the District of Indiana. In the following June,
received the appointment of Assistant Provost Marshal of the District of
Washington, on the Staff of the Military Governor. In November, was
appointed Provost Marshal of Georgetown, D. C., and soon after, Special
Mustering Officer, to muster the Prisoners of War returned from
Andersonville, Ga.; resigned, and honorably discharged, March 16, 1865;
married, and pursuing the profession of the law.
EPHRAIM H. BAKER,
An Alumnus of Oberlin College, and Theological student; commissioned as
Second Lieutenant of Co. C, Apr. 29, 1861; took command after the
battle of Cross Lanes; was promoted to First Lieutenant, November 26,
1861; led the Company through the battle of Winchester; resigned, and
was discharged on account of disability, July 25, 1862; now married, and
engaged in preaching the Gospel, at Marseilles, Ill.
ORLANDO PARK BROCKWAY,
A Junior in Oberlin College; served with the Company as First Sergeant
until about the 20th of Aug., 1861, when he was sent to the hospital
because of sickness, and afterwards to Ohio. In his absence he was
reduced to the ranks by some inexplicable order of Col. Tyler's, October
25, 1861; transferred to Battery I, 1st Ohio Artillery, at Charleston,
Va., Dec. 1, 1861. While on a foraging expedition, near Luray, Va., in
the Summer of 1862, he was captured; taken to Lynchburg, and thence to
Belle Isle, where, after much suffering, he was paroled. In the Autumn,
he was exchanged and discharged. He was commissioned as Captain in the
5th U. S. C. T., in August, 1863; engaged in the series of battles
before Petersburg, from June 15 to 19; and killed in the trenches, July
19, 1864.
EDMUND R. STILES,
An Alumnus of Oberlin College, and member of the Theological Seminary;
Second Sergeant: captured at Cross Lanes, and spent nine months with the
rebels at Richmond, New Orleans, and Salisbury; paroled and exchanged;
discharged, July 8, 1862; now married, and is preaching the Gospel.
WILLIAM WATTS PARMENTER,
A Senior in Oberlin College; served with the company as Third Sergeant,
until the battle of Cross Lanes, when he was captured and taken to
Richmond; afterwards, transferred to Parish Prison, New Orleans, where
he died with Typhoid Fever, Nov. 4, 1861.
HOBART G. ORTON,
A Freshman in Oberlin College; Fourth Sergeant; engaged in the battle of
Cross Lanes, where a severe gun shot broke his thigh bone about an inch
below the socket joint. Standing behind a tree, firing as rapidly as
possible, under his own command, he was discovered by a rebel Captain,
who ordered his whole company to fire upon him. The tree was girdled
with the bullets, and one took effect in the thigh of the Sergeant. He
was left on the field, in the hands of the enemy, and was recaptured by
our troops, Sept. 11, 1861. Thence he was removed to St. John's
Hospital, Cincinnati, where he suffered severely for a year, and was
discharged, Nov. 20, 1862. He is now married and practicing law.
ELIAS W. MOREY,
A Sophomore in Oberlin College; Fifth Sergeant; wounded slightly in the
head, and taken prisoner in the battle of Cross Lanes; spent nine months
in the hands of the enemy, at Richmond, New Orleans, and Salisbury;
paroled and exchanged; returned to duty, March 22, 1863; engaged in the
battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg; discharged, Nov. 10, 1863,
to accept a First Lieutenancy in the 9th Regiment U. S. C. T.; promoted
to Captain, and made Provost Marshal of the 20th A. C.; now in the
service.
J. FRANCIS HARMON,
Corporal; served constantly with the regiment, during the whole term of
enlistment; promoted to Sergeant, in the Company, Nov. 20, 1861, and to
Quarter-Master Sergeant of the regiment, April 1, 1862; engaged in the
battle of Cross Lanes; discharged at Cleveland, Ohio, July 6, 1864;
married, and is now Postmaster at Oberlin, O.
THERON E. W. ADAMS,
A Freshman in Oberlin College; Corporal; wounded by a guerilla, while on
picket duty, near Glenville, Va., July 21, 1861. The ball entered his
side and followed a rib around nearly to the spine. He has the honor of
shedding the first blood in the Seventh Ohio Regiment, by the hand of an
enemy; engaged in the battle of Winchester; honorably discharged on
account of disability, June 29, 1862; graduated in Oberlin College in
the Class of '64; married, and farming in Michigan.
CHARLES P. BOWLER,
A Junior in Oberlin College; Corporal; served constantly with the
Company until his death; promoted to Sergeant; participated in the
battles of Cross Lanes, Winchester, Port Republic, and Cedar Mountain,
where he received a gun shot through the heart. He fell upon his back,
dying instantly with a convulsive struggle.
STEPHEN M. COLE,
Corporal; slightly wounded in the thigh, and taken prisoner in the
retreat two or three days after the battle of Cross Lanes; spent nine
months in the hands of the enemy at Richmond, New Orleans, and
Salisbury, after which he was paroled and exchanged; returned to duty,
March 22, 1863, at Dumfries; participated in the battles of Gettysburg
and Chancellorsville, where he was wounded in the shoulder by a shell;
detailed as Clerk at Head Quarters of 1st Brigade 2d Division, 12th A.
C., Feb. 25, 1864; discharged July 6, 1864; married, and farming in
Gibralter, Mich.
ARTHUR CURTIS DANFORTH,
A Sophomore in Oberlin College; served as Corporal until Nov. 20, 1861,
when he was promoted to First Sergeant, at Charleston, Va.; escaped
unhurt from the battle of Cross Lanes, and was instantly killed in the
battle of Winchester, by a bullet passing through his chest, and another
through his neck. His body was brought to Oberlin for burial.
EDWARD WAKEMAN GOODSELL,
A Freshman in Oberlin College; Corporal; with the Company until August
15, 1861, when he was sent, sick, to Gauley Bridge, and thence to
Cincinnati. Being unfit for duty, because of inflamed eyes, he served in
St. John's Hospital until he joined the Company on the 18th of July,
1862, at Alexandria, Va.
In the battle of Cedar Mountain, he received a bruise on the foot. At
Antietam, a color guard from Co. C being required, he was detailed by
Sergeant Lincoln, remarking as he went, that he "would as soon sign his
death warrant." In the engagement, he received a wound in the abdomen.
He lived a few days, made his will, settled up his business carefully,
and died September 19, 1862.
HENRY W. LINCOLN,
Corporal; promoted to Second Sergeant, Nov. 20, 1861; to First Sergeant,
March 24, 1862; to Second Lieutenant, August 9, 1862, and to First
Lieutenant, November 6, 1862; a faithful officer, present on all the
marches, and in all the battles, till his final leave of absence. He was
in the battles of Cross Lanes, Winchester, Port Republic, Cedar
Mountain, and Antietam.
Having the Chronic DiarrhA"a, he obtained a furlough in December, 1862,
to return to his home in Oberlin; discharged, Jan. 7, 1863, for
disability, and died July 1, 1863.
ISAAC F. MACK,
A Junior in Oberlin College; Corporal; captured at Cross Lanes; spent
nine months in the hands of the rebels, at Richmond, New Orleans, and
Salisbury; paroled, and exchanged; discharged from the U. S. Service,
October 16, 1862. He is married, and is now Editor of the Brodhead
_Republican_, Wisconsin.
EDGAR M. BOSTWICK,
Musician; transferred to the regimental band, July 10, 1861, and
discharged, July 5, 1862.
CHARLES W. ROSSITER,
Musician; transferred to the Regimental Band, July 10 1861, and mustered
out of the service, July 5, 1862; married, and engineer on the Chicago
and North Western Railroad.
PRIVATES.
MARTIN M. ANDREWS,
Appointed Corporal, Nov. 20, 1861; promoted to Orderly Sergeant, August
9, 1862; engaged in the battles of Cross Lanes, Port Republic, and Cedar
Mountain, where the first finger of his left hand was broken, and the
second finger was fractured; commanded the Company in the cavalry
skirmish near Berryville, Va.; engaged in the battle at Dumfries;
slightly wounded in the battle of Chancellorsville; took part in the
battles of Gettysburg, Rocky-Faced Ridge, Resaca, and Dallas; mustered
out of the service with the Company, at Cleveland, Ohio, July 6, 1864;
received an appointment as Adjutant in the 185th O. V. I., February 27,
1865, and subsequently promoted to Captain; discharged, September 27,
1865, and is now engaged in mercantile pursuits.
EDWIN B. ATWATER,